Storing and handling cases for phonograph records



March 21, 1944. KELLY 2,344,919

STORING AND HANDLING CASE FOR PHONOGRAPH RECORDS Filed March 1, 1940 Patented Mar. 21, 1944 STORING AND HANDLING CASES FOR PHONOGRAPH RECORDS Daniel Allcott Kelly, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to The Prime Manufacturing Company, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application March 1, 1940, Serial No. 321,755

1 Claim.

. This invention appertains to phonographs, record players, and the like, and more particularly to a novel case for a group of phonograph records.

Much diiilculty has been experienced in the proper storing, the handling, and the caring for phonograph records in the home and other places. It is common to provide books or albums having leaves or envelopes for the records. However, the albums are cumbersome and difllcult to handle and store, and the leaves or envelopes soon become torn, allowing the dropping of the records from the album.

Most combined radio receivers and phonographs are provided with automatic record changers, and, thus, groups of eight or ten records are generally placed at one time on the record player. The selection of a series of records for the record player from albums and the like presents quite a problem, and the records cannot be conveniently placed on or taken off the record player in a group. Further, the danger of breaking the records is always present.

It is, therefore, one of the salient objects of my invention to provide a case for receiving and housing a group of records whereby to protect the same from injury and whereby the group of records can be readily placed as a unit on and off a record player.

Another primary object of my invention is to provide means whereby a plurality of like records,

such as operas, can be placed in one case, and

another group of like records, such as swing music. can be placed in another case, and so on, so that groups of records can be properly stored and handled. and so that a group of like records can be easily placed on and removed from a record player,

A further important object of my invention is to provide a phonograph record case and handling device embodying a pair of companion semicircular gripping jaws for engaging about the periphery of a group of selected records. with means for drawing and holding the jaws in tight contact with the records.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of resilient or compressible gripping pads I or law faces carried by the laws for engaging and holding the records without injury thereto, the

case being 01' such a character that the same can be readily opened and closed about a group of records on a record player.

A still further important object of my invention rangement, and formation of parts, as will be hereinafter more specifically described, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which drawing:

Figure l is a top plan view of my novel record case and handling device, showing the same in its operative position about a group of records, parts of the case being shown broken away and in section to illustrate structural detail.

Figure 2 is an enlarged, detail. fragmentary,

sectional view through the rim of the record case and handling device, with the records removed 1 from the case, the view being taken substantially on the line 2--2 of Figure 1. looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, but showa group of records in the case.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary, plan view of the case, showing the same placed about a group of records and ready to be drawn into tight gripping contact therewith.

Figure 5 is a diametric, sectional view through a modification of the case, with the records removed, the view being on the same scale as Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary, side, elevational view, part y in section, illustrating a convenient means for facilitating the initial selection of records and to permit my case to be readily placed about a grcupof selected records.

Referring to the drawing in detail, 'wherein similar referenc characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter C generally indicates my case and handling device for a group of phonograph records R.

My record case and-handling devlceC comprises a pair 01 like, semicircular, companion, gripping javs l0 and II. These semicircular jaws i0 and II can be made from any desired material, but I prefer to construct the same 01' sheet metal suitably treated to present an attractive appearance to the eye.

Each of the sections or Jaws I0 and H is of a U-shape in cross section, and, thus, each includes an outer side wall I! and inwardly directed top and bottom walls or flanges l3 and I 4. These flanges l3 and I4 are adapted to engage over the outer faces of the records, and these flanges have struck out therefrom reinforcing and protecting ribs l5. These ribs l5 form means whereby to space records from a surface on which the case may be placed. The meeting ends of the jaws or sections I and on one side are connected together by any preferred type of hinge it, so that the sections or Jaws can be easily swung to an open or closed position.

The inner faces of the jaws at spacedpoints are provided with resilient or compressible pads or faces l1, nd these pads are preferably formed from sponge rubber and have, preferably, a deflnite thickness. All of the pads are placed against the inner surface of the outer side wall i2 of each jaw, and the pads can be secured thereto in any preferred manner, such as by the use of an adhesive.

Opposite the hinge It, the case is provided with a clasp or tensioning device i8 for drawing the jaws or sections of the case into gripping contact with the records, and forholding the case closed in its gripping position. This clasp or tensioning device can be of any desired type or character, and in the present illustration I have shown one jaw provided with a keeper lug is over which is adapted to be. hooked a ball hingedly carried by the operating and locking lever 2|. This lever is hingedly secured by means of a pin 22 at its inner end on the other section 'and 3.

asthma records and to hold the case in its closed position. The group of records with its case can then be removed as a unit from the record player.

In order to facilitate the guiding of the case sections or jaws about agroup of records, the outer edges of the outer walls or flanges N can be flared outwardly in opposite directions to form guide lips 23, as is clearly shown in Figures 2 In order to eliminate raw edges, the peripheries of the lips can be rolled, as at 2l.

If so desired, 'a member 25 can be given with a certain number of the cases C, and this device can be utilized for facilitating the stacking of selected records into groups to permit the convenient and rapid placing of the case about a selected group of records.

Thus, the device 25 includes a. base 26 having an upstanding pin 21, which takes the place of or is similar to the ordinary center pin of a turnof the case, and the lever 2| forms an operating cam or toggle for the loop or bail 20.

In use of my improved case, the group of records desired to be retained together is initially selected and placed in a pile. The case is then opened to its full extent, and the jaws l0 and II are placed about the records and then moved in grasping relation thereto, with the pads I'l engaging the peripheries of the records. The loop or ball 20 is now swung over the keeper [9, as shown in Figure 4, after which the lever 2| is pushed down against the case, as shown in Figure 1. This draws the two Jaws into intimate gripping contact with the records, and the case firmly clamps the records together in a solid mass. Due to the ribs IS on the outer walls or flanges I3 and II, the faces of the outer records are fully protected, and the group of records can be handled as a unit, and the case will allow the rough handling of the group of records without breaking.

When it is desired to place the group of records on the record changer of a record player, the case is taken and the center pin of the turntable is placed through the alined center openings of the records until the lowermost record rests on table record player. By using the device 25, the records can be initially and properly alined and held against movement while the case is being placed about the records.

In some instances, persons may desire a closed case, and, thus, in Figure 5 I have shown the companion sections of the case provided with semicircular top and bottom walls 28 and 29.

While I have illustrated and described a oer- .that I have provided a novel case for facilitating the storing and handling of records, which will permit the easy placing on and taking oil of selected groups of records from record players.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or the scope of my invention, but what I claim as new is:

A storing and handling case for a group of stacked disc records of sound-producing machines comprising, a pair of like companion semicircular record engaging jaws, each of said jaws being of a substantially U-shape in cross section and including an outer side wall and inwardly directed, spaced, radial flanges on the edges of the side wall, means hingedly connecting the jaws together at one side of the case for opening and closing movement, compressible record gripping pads carried by the inner faces of the Jaws, and a clasp for drawing the jaws toward one another in operative record gripping position including a keeper carried by one jaw. a swinging lever carried by the other jaw, and a bail pivotally secured to the lever for hooking over the keeper.

DANIEL ALLCO'I'I KELLY. 

